The Hunt for Housing: Get out of town! Or don’t.

Thanksgiving break has officially begun. The end of the semester is approaching quickly.

The hunt is on.

The hunters? Any and all students planning to return to University Park in the Fall of 2010.

The prey? Affordable, convenient and comfortable living situations.

As Penn Staters begin the hunt, the process can seem overwhelming.

Should I live on campus?

Should I live downtown or away from town?

Should I try to get an apartment or a house? 

The following is the second part of a three-piece series to help student residents of State College answer some of these questions.

The Hunt for Housing: Get out of town! Or don’t.

(Click here for Part One of the series)

There’s a good chance that every Nittany Lion knows someone who lives away from downtown State College. The temptation to tease that someone is all too great; after all, they have to take the bus to friends’ places and campus.

Why would anybody want to live far away?

The Best Thing:

Bang For Your Buck: Rent is typically cheaper away from campus, plus renters typically have more living space and more privacy as well.

The Worst Thing:

Distance: This one is obvious. Having to drive, bike or bus to class every day can be a hassle, especially when the bus is late and/or overcrowded. That being said, sometimes it’s nice to be away from downtown. Just don’t stay out too late; you’ll miss your ride home. 

What you need to know:

• https://www.statecollege.com/apartments/ has everything you need for finding next year’s home.
• Toftrees offers mostly one and two-bedroom rentals for $650-$995 total per month, and is right by Toftrees resort as well as the American Ale House and plenty of trails.
• Lion\’s Gate offers places for one to four residents, and charges from $560-$975 total per month, which includes free parking. 
• Copper Beech townhomes offer two and three-bedroom rentals, and rent is about $570 per person at the two-bedroom locations. Cable, high-speed Internet, and a CATA bus pass are all included. Apartments are going quickly and are expected to sell out by Thanksgiving.
• Nittany Crossing provides free parking for residents and has a pool and fitness center. Two, three and four-bedroom apartments are all available for next fall.
• There are apartment complexes downtown where students can have their own bedroom. Campus Tower, Centre Court, and Bryce Jordan Tower all offer three or four-bedroom apartments and are within walking distance to the center of campus. All three-bedroom apartments are already sold out for next year, but applications are still being accepted for the four-bedroom apartments.
• The rent for a four-bedroom apartment in one of these complexes is around $3,100, about $775 for each person. In comparison, the individual rent for a room in a four-bedroom apartment in Nittany Crossing is around $410.

What they’re saying:

Senior Daniel Sutton (who has lived on campus, downtown and out of town): “Cost was definitely an issue. What you get for the price [of living downtown] is small rooms and shared bathrooms. You get more for your money living [away from downtown].”

Sophomore Kim Travioli (who lives at The Meridian): “I don’t mind living on campus or sharing a bedroom. I like how everything is in walking distance. I can’t imagine having to take a bus just to get downtown every day.”

Junior Corey Hazely (who lives at The Pointe): “I love having my own room and bathroom. I lived downtown in The Diplomat last year, and I had to share a bedroom and bathroom with two other guys. This is so much nicer.”

Junior Kevin Lashbaugh (who lives at The Pointe): “I hate having to take the bus to class or to a friend’s apartment. Sometimes the busses are unreliable.\”